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I just started playing Ultimate about 3 months ago, but already love to play. My favorite time defending is against the thrower, however while playing today i encountered a new situation that I have a question about.

Situation: While defending against the thrower, they faked a couple of throws which I reacted to tracing the disc. After a couple of fake attempts the thrower resorted to faking throws right into my upper arms and chest. I have never had this happen before and was quite surprised by it, but didn't know if these were considered fouls or not. I heard one of the throwers players say they ad the right to back me off like that after the play.

Question: Were there any fouls that I could have called? Is there an unspoken or spoken rule that defenders/throwers have? (I know about the inside 3m rule, but is there a minimum limit to?)

I believe the rule when guarding a thrower is you must at least be a disc's length away from the thrower. Obviously, the distance between you and the thrower will change as movement occurs. That being said, the thrower "should" not throw themselves or their arm/hand into you in attempts to draw a foul. I say "should" because throwers will often do this, especially at the elite level. It's a way for them to reset the count and prevent a turnover.

It's a tricky are of Ultimate, to be sure. What it really comes down to when it happens is the thrower and defender talking it out to see who is really at fault.

If you are stationary and the thrower throws an arm into you, it's not a foul. By you establishing a part of your body in any space, that's YOUR area. But, if you're moving at all and the thrower throws into you to reset the stall count, it is a foul. Good markers give just enough room for the thrower to release the disc, then place their hand or foot in the flight path of the disc, creating a hand block or foot block. However, if the disc is still in the throwers hand while you block it, that's still a foul, UNLESS you have already established that area to be yours. But, he'll still call a foul because he's upset he got hand blocker. So, just contest the foul and begin the stall count on the right number. For more information about what the stall count goes to, consult your Ultimate handbook

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